Automatic coupling for railroad-vehicles.



. No. I7.25,64l9. PATENTED APR. 2l, 1903.

B. APRIL. AUTOMATIC GOUPLING FOR RAILROAD VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11| 1902.

No MODEL.

mrs@ K v v Z55/057 as co. morauwo.. WAS-moron n c PATENT OFFICE.'

BARTOLOME APRlL, OF 'AZMQOS,v SWITZERLAND.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR RAILROAD-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of. Letters Patent No. '725,649,`da ted April 21, 1903. Application filed August lll 1902. Serial No. 119,296. (No model.)

rPhe object of the present invention is to arrange the separate parts of the automatic coupling on the vehicle in such a manner that they do not interfere with the operation of couplings of the ordinary kind, so that a car provided with the automatic coupling can be coupled as before to cars provided with the oldform of couplings.Y

This automatic coupling is so constructed that the concussion of thebuffers when two cars meet first places the coupling-links of both cars in such a position that said links can respectively fall onto two catch-hooks of the opposite coupling, which are adapted to be released from the sides of the cars and movable in vertical planes. Simultaneously, therefore, a double connection of thecars to be coupled is'eected-that is, if both cars are provided with the new device.v The uncoupling is eifected from the sides of the cars, the catch-hooks of both cars being rotated against the pressure of springs, which bear on them respectively until the coupling-links are disengaged therefrom.

The annexed drawings illustrate one form of the invention as an example.

Figure 1 is a vertical section on line A B ofY Fig. 2, showing the ends of two cars coupled together, both being provided with the irnproved coupling. Fig. 2 is a part plan view thereof.

The two buifer-rods of each Vehicle are connected to each other at the bottom by a cross` bar a, bent at several points, so that concussions of the said rods are communicated to the cross-piece. The cross-piece is provided at the side of the central aXis of the wagon with a fixed arm 1), extending away from the Vspring o,

end of the wagon, the said arm b carrying a hinged finger c, adapted to move upward on a hinge-pivot, but not downward. Above the arm b the coupling proper is arranged, consisting of two hinged links e and f, the inner link c being fixed to the uncoupling-shaft g and provided with a downwardly-extending support h, which before the coupling of two cars iirst'rests on the end of the finger c. The link f is the actual couplinglink,within reach of which is arranged the releasable catchhook of the other coupling. The length of the support his preferably so chosen that the link is supported at the angle shown by the dotted line uc on the right of Fig. l, so that the coupling-link f will be caused by even a slight concussion to fall onto the hook of the coupling of the other Wagon. The hinge z, which connects the two links e and f, is so constructed that the said links normally form anextended angle and that even with very powerful concussions no throwing over of the coupling-links is possible.

The shaft g is provided at each end with a handle 7c and passes through a guide n, suspended from the draw-rod Z below the old drag-hook m.' At one side of the central axis of the wagon this shaft g carries the catchhook c', below which is arranged a powerful which tends to push the hook upward again when the latter has been rotated out of its position by means of thev shaft g. The latter may be provided with small toothed wheels p, each of which gears with a toothed segment q, placed on the wagon to facilitate the rotation of the shaft. f

Before two vehicles provided with the automatic coupling devicev meet the couplinglinks e fof both rest on the finger c of the arm b, carried by cross-piece a, and occupy a somewhat-inclined position. (Indicated in Fig. l by dotted lines.) When the vehicles meet, the buers are pushed inward, and'with them the cross-bar a with its arms o and o. The links e f are thus deprived of their support, and the outer coupling-link `fimmediately falls over the hook 1I of the other coupling before the reaction of the buffer-springs takes place. Subsequent concussions which may occur have no other effect than the folding upward of the links c. To uncouple the vehicles, the shaft g is rotated by means of IOO the handle or handles 7c, the hook c', xed to the said shaft, being moved downward in a vertical plane against the pressure of the spring o acting thereon, whereupon the link f of both couplings is released. When the f mentioned, the hook t' and links e fof each coupling are arranged at one side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and therefore do not in any way interfere with the operation of the usual right-and-left screw-spindle links of the old form of coupling.

The handles 7c, iixed to the shaft g, may he made sufficiently long to come within reach of the brakeman, so that he may rotate the shaft while traveling, and thus uncouple the wagons, if desired.

I declare that what I claim is- 1. The combination with a railroad-vehicle y having buffers of av rotatable horizontal shaft mounted transversely on the vehicle,a doublebing ed link carried by said shaft at one side of the central axis of the vehicle, a catch-hook rigidly connected to said shaft adapted to be engaged by the double link of the opposite vehicle and to berotated in a vertical plane to uncouple the vehicles, means for supporting the double link in the uncoupled position, means in connection with th'e buffers for withdrawing said supporting means on two vehip cles coming together, means for rotating the aforesaid transverse shaft and means for returning the catch-hook to its original position after uncoupling, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a railroad-vehicle having buers of a cross-bar connected to said Y buffers, a rotatable horizontal shaft mounted transversely on the vehicle, a double hinged link carried by said shaft at one side of the central axis of the vehicle, a catch hook rigidly connected to said shaft and adapted to be engaged by the double link of the opposite vehicle andv to be rotated in a vertical plane to uncouple the vehicles, means carried by said cross-bar for supporting said double link in vthe uncoupled position, means for rotating the transverse shaft and means for returning thecatch-hook to its original position, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a railroad-vehicle having buers of a cross-barcon nected to said buffers, a horizontal arm carried bysaid crossbar, a nger hinged to said arm, a rotatable horizontal shaft mounted transversely on the vehicle, a double hinged link carried by said shaft at one side of the central axis of the vehicle a catch-hook rigidly connected to said shaft adapted to be engaged by the double link of the opposite vehicle and to be rotated in a vertical plane to uncouple the vehicle, a supporting-rod carried by said double link and normally bearing on the aforesaid linger, means for rotating, guiding and facilitating the rotation of the transverse shaft and a spring for returning the catch-hook to its original position after nncoupling, substantially as described.

In witness whereof Ihave signed this speciiication in the presence of two witnesses.

BARTOLOME APRIL. 

